Victorian Weeping Woman Casket Plaque for Fany A. Filield

A heartbreaking, yet beautiful memento of a life cut short, coffin plates of dearly departed loved ones were often kept and displayed on parlor fireplace mantles and tables during the Victorian era.

The practice of using coffin plates began in the 17th century and was primarily reserved for those of extreme wealth. By the 19th century, the use of coffin plates began to gain popularity in North America.

Early plates were made by hand by a blacksmith or metalworker and varied in size, metal and ornateness depending on the financial resources a family had. They were traditionally made of a soft metal like lead, pewter, silver, brass, copper or tin.

In the late 1840s, the first machine stamped plates appeared, which allowed the plaques to be cut into elaborate shapes and stamped with intricate designs and details, like the one you see here. By the 1860s, mass produced coffin plates could be ordered from a number of catalogs at a price point every family could afford.

The practice of using coffin plates peaked between 1880 and early 1900s before falling out of favor in the 1920s. While some wealthier families would commission a duplicate plate to be made as a keepsake to remember the departed, most families would remove the casket plate prior to interment. 

This striking casket plaque was made sometime between the 1860s and 1870s. It is a very unusual plate and we have not been able to find another one like it. 

The center of the plate has a tombstone with the name Fany A. Filield, A 5y. 3m. 14d. Surrounding the tombstone  is an elaborate scene with a young female child sitting beneath a weeping willow on the left and a bereaved woman holding flowers and her head on the right. 

While it is a little difficult to see, under magnification, this highly detailed scene is a stunning sight to behold.

This plaque would be a wonderful addition in any funerary collection.